The FBI has even opened probes into anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities nationwide. This response comes on the heels of the deeply flawed National Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic Terrorism Memo (NSPM-7) that former President Donald Trump released in September. This memo identifies what it describes as threats of “anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity,” and calls for a coordinated national strategy to combat “violent and terroristic activities” associated with anti-fascism.
As of October 31, the FBI has opened cases of retaliation against anti-ICE activists in over 30 states. This increase underscores serious fears by law enforcement regarding the threats that have been seen towards ICE’s activities. The investigations tie together 23 field offices across the country, signalling a massive federal crackdown on what is viewed as domestic terrorism.
The NSPM-7 memo clearly aims at people conducting “reactive violent attacks” that take advantage of First Amendment protections. As critics have noted, this approach could create a chilling effect that conflates political dissent with terrorism, subjecting peaceful protests to illegitimate surveillance.
“At its core, the war on antifa is a war on dissent, a war on free speech.” – Ryan Shapiro
The memo’s language was immediately criticized for being deliberately vague and overly broad. Civil rights advocates argue that it would open the door to unnecessary investigations motivated solely by people’s political ideologies. Hina Shamsi, a prominent civil liberties advocate, noted that “the ultimate intended use of NSPM-7 is as an instrument for classifying criticism of the Trump regime as extremism and terrorism.”
The FBI’s November report indicated that while some cases investigated under NSPM-7 predated the memo’s issuance, they aligned with its objectives. Civil rights organizations are very much on alert. Often, they’re concerned that the memo could be leveraged to preemptively crack down on leftist organizing and protest activity targeting ICE.
The Trump administration characterized NSPM-7 as necessary for addressing threats posed by “criminal actors with varying social and political goals.” Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, stated that the initiative is focused on “investigating, disrupting, dismantling, and prosecuting individuals and entities engaged in organized political violence and domestic terrorism.”
Former FBI agent Mike German described NSPM-7 as a “chilling document,” arguing that it begins to equate political opposition with terrorism. He focused on the fact that innocent people can be subjected to surveillance or, in this case, an investigation just because of their faith or activism. This further stigmatizes them, forcing them into the criminal justice system.
“People who are entirely innocent of any wrongdoing can be subjected to surveillance or investigation. That imposes stigma. It can wrongly immesh people in the criminal legal system.” – Hina Shamsi
The memo’s implications reach further than just its direct enforcement. Ryan Shapiro, executive director of Property of the People, described NSPM-7 as potentially targeting anti-ICE organizing as an anarchist violent extremist threat. He stressed that it is of great concern as a precedent for how the government could classify and use that classification to silence dissent.
Potential threats against ICE can often be spotted by looking at an individual’s actions. These actions range from surveillance on personnel or facilities to stockpiling weapons to discussing operational plans on protected networks. The FBI’s aggressive posture seems to come from a clearly expressed desire to combat these so-called threats urgently.
“These areas could see increased threat activity in the near term.” – [Source not specified]
The FBI continues its fight against violent extremism in all forms. Civil rights groups argue that advocating for a political or social ideology does not constitute extremism and is often protected by the First Amendment. Such a wide application of NSPM-7 would threaten to put organized political activism on the same level as terrorism in the eyes of law enforcement.